Greetings From the Executive Director

I took over from Ms. Suzuko Nishihara as the Executive Director of the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa, in fiscal 2017. I will do my best to promote a variety of programs at the institute, and I welcome your cooperation.Our institute engages in two main operations. One is the training program for Japanese-language teachers overseas, and the other is the development of Japanese-language educational materials and teaching methodology. We have a special library for Japanese-language education. The library collects and offers not only Japanese-language textbooks and educational materials but also materials and information on the Japanese language and education, linguistics, the various topics of Japan, and foreign-language education in order to support the activities of the institute and respond to the needs of many researchers, teachers, and learners. Japanese-language learners and teachers have their own reasons for learning or teaching the Japanese language and their purposes and environments of teaching/learning vary a great deal. We believe that it is important for us to respond to those individual needs by collecting educational materials and offering a variety of programs. Japanese-language education is not only made up of the education of the Japanese language but also involves and is closely related to the various aspects of Japanese society and Japanese culture. Mutual understanding requires not only language, but also a cultural understanding of the social meaning and significance, as well as attitudes toward trying to accept differences between ourselves and others. Our institute will promote programs and activities while deepening collaboration and cooperation with local governments, community groups, concerned agencies, and diverse people who are involved in the fields of Japanese-language learning and education across the world. We wish to develop human resources who have linguistic, social, and cultural talents in order to promote mutual understanding in international society. We appreciate your continued cooperation and support.